Why This Skill Matters
Every reading comprehension question you’ll ever face fits into one of six patterns. This isn’t a simplification—it’s how tests are actually designed. Professional test developers work from established question types that target specific comprehension skills.
Recognizing these RC patterns gives you a strategic advantage. Instead of treating each question as unique, you’ll know exactly what it’s asking and where to look for the answer. You’ll recognize the specific trap answers designed for each type. You’ll allocate time more efficiently because you’ll know which questions require inference and which just need you to locate information.
The six comprehension questions patterns are: Main Idea, Detail, Inference, Vocabulary in Context, Author’s Purpose/Tone, and Structure/Function. Master these, and you’ve essentially mapped the entire territory of reading comprehension testing.
The 6 Question Types: Step-by-Step
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Main Idea Questions
What they ask: The central point, primary purpose, or best title for the passage or a paragraph.
Signal words: “primarily concerned with,” “mainly about,” “central argument,” “best title,” “primary purpose”
Where to look: Opening and closing paragraphs. The first sentence of key paragraphs. Any sentence that seems to summarize the whole discussion.
Strategy: Ask yourself: “If I had to summarize this passage in one sentence, what would it be?” The correct answer captures the whole passage, not just one section. Beware of answers that are true but too narrow—they describe a part, not the whole.
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Detail Questions
What they ask: Specific information explicitly stated in the passage.
Signal words: “According to the passage,” “The author states,” “The passage indicates,” line or paragraph references
Where to look: The specific location referenced. Use line numbers if given. Skim for keywords from the question.
Strategy: The answer will be a paraphrase of passage content, not a direct quote. Return to the text to verify—don’t trust your memory. The correct answer must be explicitly stated, not merely implied.
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Inference Questions
What they ask: What can be logically concluded from the stated information.
Signal words: “suggests,” “implies,” “can be inferred,” “most likely,” “would probably agree”
Where to look: The relevant section, but the answer won’t be directly stated. You must connect dots.
Strategy: The correct inference must be supported by specific text evidence. Ask: “Based on what’s stated, what must be true?” Avoid answers that go beyond what the text supports, even if they seem reasonable from general knowledge.
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Vocabulary in Context Questions
What they ask: What a word means as used in this specific passage.
Signal words: “As used in line X,” “the word ____ most nearly means,” “the author uses ____ to mean”
Where to look: The sentence containing the word, plus surrounding sentences for context.
Strategy: The answer is often not the most common definition. Substitute each answer choice into the original sentence—which one preserves the meaning? Be especially cautious with words that have multiple meanings.
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Author’s Purpose/Tone Questions
What they ask: Why the author wrote something, or the author’s attitude toward the subject.
Signal words: “The author’s tone is,” “The author’s attitude toward X is,” “The author mentions X in order to”
Where to look: Word choice throughout the passage. Adjectives and adverbs are tone signals. Look at how the author describes the subject.
Strategy: Tone answers typically fall on a spectrum from negative to neutral to positive. Eliminate extremes unless the passage is clearly passionate. Pay attention to subtle word choices—”claims” vs “demonstrates,” “merely” vs “importantly.”
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Structure/Function Questions
What they ask: Why a paragraph, sentence, or example is included and how parts relate to each other.
Signal words: “serves to,” “functions as,” “in order to,” “the relationship between paragraph X and Y”
Where to look: The specific element referenced, plus what comes before and after it.
Strategy: Ask: “What job does this do in the argument?” Examples illustrate points. Counterarguments show the author considered objections. Transitions shift topics. Identify the role, not just the content.
Main Idea: “The passage is primarily concerned with…”
Detail: “According to paragraph 3, what year did the event occur?”
Inference: “The author’s discussion of X suggests that…”
Vocabulary: “As used in line 15, ‘acute’ most nearly means…”
Tone: “The author’s attitude toward the theory is best described as…”
Structure: “The author mentions the experiment in order to…”
Tips for Success
Identify the question type first. Before reading answer choices, determine which type you’re facing. This focuses your attention and tells you where to look in the passage.
Match your strategy to the type. Detail questions require returning to specific locations. Inference questions require connecting multiple pieces of evidence. Main idea questions require standing back from details. Don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach.
Know the trap patterns for each type. Main idea questions trap with answers that are too narrow. Detail questions trap with inferences. Inference questions trap with statements that seem true but aren’t supported. Vocabulary questions trap with common definitions that don’t fit the context. Tone questions trap with extreme answers.
Consider question order strategically. Many test-takers find success answering detail questions first (they have clear locations), then main idea (easier after engaging with details), then inference (requires full passage understanding). Find what works for you.
Before each question, take 3 seconds to categorize it. Scan the question stem for signal words: “According to” (Detail), “suggests” (Inference), “primarily” (Main Idea), “as used in line” (Vocabulary), “attitude” (Tone), “in order to” (Structure). This quick categorization improves accuracy more than spending extra time on any single question.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Treating all questions the same. Different question types require different approaches. Using your inference skills on a detail question leads you to add information that isn’t there. Using literal reading on an inference question misses the point entirely.
Answering from memory instead of verifying. Even if you remember what the passage said, return to verify for detail questions. Memory distorts, and trap answers exploit common misrememberings.
Over-inferring on inference questions. The correct answer must be supported by specific text evidence. If you can’t point to the evidence, you’ve probably gone too far. Inferences should be small logical steps, not leaps.
Choosing vocabulary definitions that don’t fit the context. The most common definition is often wrong. Always substitute your answer back into the original sentence to check if the meaning is preserved.
Confusing author’s opinion with passage content. Tone questions ask about the author’s attitude, not what the passage describes. An author can describe something negative with a neutral tone, or describe something positive with skepticism.
Many wrong answers seem reasonable from general knowledge but aren’t supported by this specific passage. For reading comprehension questions, “could be true” isn’t good enough—the answer must be supported by what’s actually written. Train yourself to ask: “Where exactly does the passage say this?”
Practice Exercise
For your next 10 reading comprehension questions, try this diagnostic approach:
Step 1: Before reading answer choices, identify the question type and write it down.
Step 2: Predict where in the passage you’ll find the answer (or whether you need to synthesize from multiple places).
Step 3: After answering, note whether you got it right and which type it was.
Step 4: After completing all 10, analyze your results. Which RC patterns do you handle well? Which trip you up?
Most readers find they’re strong on some types and weak on others. Maybe you ace detail questions but struggle with inference. Or you nail main idea but miss vocabulary in context. This diagnostic reveals where to focus your practice.
For deeper practice with all six comprehension questions types, explore the full Understanding Text pillar at Reading Concepts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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